42 hogs culled in Koronadal City amid African Swine Fever scare

KORONADAL CITY– Over 40 hogs were culled and buried here Tuesday after the animals showed symptoms of African Swine Fever (ASF) infection, a city official said.

Koronadal City Mayor Eliordo Ogena said the owner of the hog admitted buying livestock in Sulop, Davao del Sur in December 2019.

It was in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental that Mindanao’s first cases of ASF infection were discovered last week.

Koronadal City and Sulop, Davao del Sur is only 137 kilometers apart.

Ogena said the 42 hogs were buried in the hog owner’s farm stockyard in Barangay Zone III.

Following the reported ASF infection in Koronadal City, South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr directed all municipal mayors, provincial veterinarians and other concerned agencies to take appropriate preventive measures.

Mayor Dibu Tuan of T’boli, South Cotabato has ordered a lockdown on Tuesday to stop the entry of live pigs, pork and byproducts to Tboli.

The local government unit of Tampakan, South Cotabato, which is adjacent to Davao del Sur, has imposed a temporary lockdown to prevent the entry of live hogs, pork meat and processed meat in town.

South Cotabato has an estimated 200,000 hogs in 10 towns and one city.

GSG